Summary
Canada has a new law that allows people with Canadian ancestors to claim Canadian citizenship even if they were born outside the country. Since December 2025, over 12,000 people applied, with around 1,480 approvals so far. The law aims to fix past rules that made it hard for some families to keep their Canadian citizenship across generations.
Key Facts
- The new Canadian citizenship law started in December 2025 and allows descendants of Canadians to claim citizenship.
- Between December 15, 2025, and January 31, 2026, 12,430 applications were submitted, 6,280 processed, and 1,480 approved.
- Many "lost Canadians" live in the US, especially descendants of French-Canadians who moved to New England in the 19th and 20th centuries.
- Proving Canadian ancestry requires gathering documents like birth certificates, baptism records, and census data, which can be difficult.
- Some records, especially in Quebec, are in old French and handwritten, making them hard to read.
- The application fee is C$75, but extra costs for genealogists and legal help can add up to thousands of dollars.
- Genealogists are very busy helping people find their Canadian roots due to the law.
- Officials say the citizenship process is busy, and some government offices are struggling to handle the large number of applications.
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
